"Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they shall see God."
Matthew 5:8
Johnny came home from Sunday School with a question. "Mommy, how can I have a pure heart? The teacher talked today about getting a pure heart." His mother smiled and said, "Johnny, when we do things that are wrong, our hearts get dirty just like our clothes get dirty. I can put our dirty clothes in the washer to get them clean, but only God can clean our hearts." The boy asked, "Do you think God would clean my heart?" Mommy replied, "I know He would. I wash your dirty clothes because I love you, but God loves you even more. I know he would clean your heart."
Mothers have a way of talking to their children so they can understand. God talks to His children through the Bible. He promises to cleanse our hearts.
Our hearts are made pure through the cleansing work of Christ. He cleanses us from all sin. "The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). Aren't you glad that the word all is in that verse. Not a sin we have committed is left out in the cleansing work of Christ. The believer receives the promise of God's Son at the cross of Jesus. The resurrection of Christ proves the finished work of Christ on the cross is real, and sufficient to cleanse every believer of every sin.
Believers are not perfect. The goal of the Christian life is to become more like Christ, and that includes overcoming temptation. However, when the believer sins, fresh cleansing is available. If we confess our sins to God, He cleanses us anew. He cleanses us of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). The pure in heart are those who are cleansed from all sin through Christ.
Father, cleanse us from all sin through Jesus Christ.
